Inside The Orioles

Former Orioles Fan Favorite Signs Minor League Deal With Angels

A former beloved Baltimore Oriole is getting a fresh start after signing a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels.
Apr 11, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini (16) during batting practice before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini (16) during batting practice before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

There’s a Baltimore Orioles reunion taking place on the West Coast, as two former fan favorites are hoping to rekindle a once-promising career.

On Monday, former Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini inked a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels, his fourth in four years with four different teams. Mancini has not played in a major league game since 2023, when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.

If there is one thing O's fans know about Mancini, it is his resilience and determination. Mancini finally made the Orioles’ Opening Day roster four years after he was selected in the 2013 MLB Draft and immediately won over fans with his bat, particularly for his prowess against left-handed pitchers. Mancini hit a home run in his second-ever at-bat against Eduardo Rodriguez of the Boston Red Sox.

In April 2020, Mancini revealed that he had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and would miss the rest of the season to undergo chemotherapy. By November, Mancini was cancer-free and returned to the Orioles in 2021 for Spring Training. That season, he memorably finished second in the Home Run Derby (won by future Oriole Pete Alonso) and won the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Read More: Could the Orioles Trade Their Veteran First Baseman?

Mancini will reunite with Brady Anderson, who also is no stranger to Charm City fans. Anderson played in Baltimore for 14 seasons, amassing 209 home runs, 744 RBI and 307 stolen bases; he is a member of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame and a beloved figure, hailing from Silver Springs, Maryland, about 40 minutes outside of Baltimore. Today, Anderson is the hitting coach for the Angels, a fitting position for one of the best pure hitters in Orioles history.

Mancini and Anderson have a long history together, dating back to their days in the Orioles organization. In his recent article for The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal wrote about how Anderson helped Mancini adjust his batting stance when he watched him taking practice swings at minor league camp. Anderson taught Mancini about closing his stance, being more vertical, and weight transfer during his swing. Mancini is one of many former Orioles who credit Anderson for turning their careers around.

Over a decade later, the two are hoping to rekindle that relationship in Anaheim under new manager Kurt Suzuki. Suzuki hired Anderson as the hitting coach after a strong vote of confidence from another former Oriole fan favorite, Nick Markakis. With Anderson, Suzuki is hoping to turn the Angels' franchise around: the team has not made the MLB postseason since 2014.

A minor league deal is far from a guarantee, especially for a player who hasn’t played in the majors for three years. But Mancini is still only 33 and always had plenty of pop in his bat and flash in his glove. The former Orioles fan favorites will reunite 2,600 miles away, but you can be certain that Baltimore will be cheering for Mancini, a player who will always have a place in the hearts of Orioles fans.

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Michael Sakuraba
MICHAEL SAKURABA

Mike Sakuraba is a contributing writer for the Mets On SI site. He has previously written for Betcris, Rotocurve, and TimTurkhockey.com.